Five Things RJ Told Casey Not To Do
by nanjarohoihoi
Summary: See the not-so-creative title. RJ/Casey.


**Five Things RJ Told Casey Not To Do**

**one**

When RJ welcomed them into his home, one of his few ground rules had been that no one but him was allowed to sit in his chair.

Of course this meant that Casey sat in it at every opportunity.

The first time RJ caught him sitting in the chair, he had shooed him away with his hands, as if Casey was a cat sitting on a piece of furniture it wasn't allowed to be on (and perhaps the metaphor was accurate in more ways than one).

The second time, RJ shouted at Casey to get off.

The third time, he just glared.

The fourth time, Casey absolutely refused to cooperate. He leaned back and the chair reclined with him. Settling himself comfortably, he asked, "What's so special about this chair anyway?"

RJ frowned and offered, "Get off of it and I'll consider telling you."

Casey eyed him for a moment, debating the proposition, before bringing himself to his feet. Almost immediately, RJ took over the seat he just relinquished. Leaning back to take in his domain, RJ sighed happily. "Ah. Now that's better."

Casey crouched down next to the chair and folded his arms on one of the armrests. He rested his head on his arms and looked up at RJ expectantly. "So what's the story?" he prompted.

RJ twisted in his seat to look at Casey. "I found it," he answered.

Casey lifted a hand to prompt RJ to elaborate. "You found it...?"

"It was the first piece of furniture I ever owned. When I left home, I didn't have much of anything. After I moved into my first apartment, I found the chair broken by the dumpster out back. I repaired it, cleaned it up a bit, and-" RJ spread his arms wide with a flourish. "-viola!"

While RJ prided himself on his accomplishment, Casey took in this information. Furrowing his eyebrows, he asked, "So why isn't anyone allowed to sit in it?"

RJ opened his mouth to answer, and then shut it without saying anything. He looked up towards the ceiling and grimaced.

Casey didn't seem surprised. He shook his head in amusement. "You don't have a reason, do you?"

RJ considered this. He opened his mouth, and again, no words came out. With a quizzical expression, he raised his hands and finally admitted, "I guess I don't."

The fifth time RJ caught Casey in his chair, he left him alone.

**two**

RJ didn't have to tell him. Casey could tell from his expression alone that RJ didn't want him involved in this, but it was too late now. The building was collapsing and Casey was determined to save RJ.

He freed RJ from his restraints just as cement and metal began to rain down around them. He acted on instinct when he covered RJ's body with his own, and his powers glowed red around them.

When the destruction subsided, Casey was relieved to discover that they were safe in a pocket that the tiger had been able to carve out of the devastation. He felt relieved.

RJ lay under him, his features a mixture of shock and worry. "Casey," he said, as if he couldn't believe the name was coming out of his mouth. "Are you... are you okay?"

Casey didn't have to answer, for at that moment there was a burst of red light as his morph disengaged. He collapsed, but RJ caught him easily.

He expected RJ to be upset. He expected RJ to be disappointed. He expected a lecture.

What he didn't expect RJ to do was pull him into an embrace and say nothing at all.

**three**

Casey hated being on kitchen duty on Saturday mornings. It meant waking up two hours earlier than he usually did, and he was, by no stretch of the imagination, a morning person.

He wasn't really paying attention to the dough he was kneading when he heard the door to the restaurant open. Jungle Karma Pizza clearly wasn't open yet, so he left the kitchen to inform whoever had just come in of this fact. It didn't occur to Casey that the door should have been locked until he noticed who it was.

RJ was closing the door behind him and Casey gave him a once over. He looked dishevelled, and much to Casey's surprise, he was completely naked.

RJ scratched at his hair and walked past Casey into the kitchen. Then he paused and walked backwards to contemplate Casey as if he only just noticed he was standing there.

RJ waved at him dismissively. "Just. Don't ask," he said.

The question was clearly written all over Casey's face, but he held up his hands in surrender and tried to keep the amusement out of his voice when he assured, "I wasn't planning to."

**four**

Casey knew RJ was injured. He had noticed the faint traces of blood coming through the back of his shirt, but RJ did his best to act casual when he told them he was going to stay behind to check for abnormal energy readings.

Casey waited until the others had left before pointing out, "You're bleeding."

RJ frowned at him. "You should be searching for Camille with the others."

Casey understood RJ's logic: Don't worry about me when you should be worrying about stopping Dai Shi.

He also understood its fundamental flaw. "Our search would go faster with your help."

RJ glared in response and Casey met his gaze evenly. Finally, RJ relented, and closed his eyes. A moment later he winced in pain he had stopped trying to hide.

Casey rushed to his side. He helped RJ to a chair before running off to retrieve a First Aid kit and a wet towel.

When he returned, RJ already had his shirt off and was craning his neck, trying to survey the damage. Casey could see that there was a long cut crossing his back diagonally.

Casey examined the wound carefully. "You're lucky this isn't too deep," he reported. He used the towel to clean off the blood.

"When did you grow up?" RJ asked with a slight smile. "I used to be the one who took care of you."

Casey held the towel against the cut to stop the bleeding. Applying an even pressure, he reminded RJ, "We take care of each other."

RJ didn't protest when Casey disinfected and wrapped his injury, and when they left to join the others, they did it together.

**five**

When Casey pinned RJ to his bedroom wall and leaned in to kiss him, RJ turned his head away.

"Don't," RJ breathed, closing his eyes. He voice faltered when he tried to explain, "You're my student."

Casey didn't back off. "But I'm also your leader," he pointed out. RJ finally relaxed against him and Casey reminded him, "I can make my own decisions." As if to illustrate his point, he undid the first two buttons of RJ's shirt and leaned in to bite down on his collarbone.

RJ hissed, and the next thing Casey knew, he was the one with his back to the wall. RJ closed in on him, his hands tangling in Casey's hair, a steady pressure on the back of his head. He gently teased at Casey's lower lip with his own before bringing their lips together in a proper kiss. Casey immediately deepened the kiss and it was impossible to tell which of them was in control.

When they broke apart, RJ's mouth settled on his neck, biting and sucking in a way Casey was sure was going to leave a mark. He leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes, until he felt RJ trail a string of small bites up towards his ear. He caught the side of RJ's face with his hand and directed his lips back towards his own. This kiss was chaste, but just as passionate as its predecessor.

When RJ pulled away breathless, Casey took in his flushed skin and the look in his eyes. He couldn't help but grin as he asked, "Aren't you glad I don't listen?"


End file.
